Apple Financing Original Scripted Series Produced By Dr. Dre: Report

Apple is taking a big step into the realm of original content with a reported deal with Dr. Dre to finance an autobiographical scripted series.

The series, first reported by the Hollywood Reporter, is said to be a six-episode dark drama loosely based on aspects of the rap mogul’s life. Music video director Paul Hunter is directing the series, now in production in Los Angeles. Dr. Dre is starring in the half-hour series, with actors Sam Rockwell and Mo McCrea also on board, according to the Reporter.

Richard Feldstein, a manager of Dr. Dre, declined to comment on the project. An Apple rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, is already in the Apple family as the co-founder of Beats by Dr. Dre, the hugely successful headphone manufacturer that was acquired by Apple for $3 billion in 2014. According to the Reporter, Dr. Dre arranged the deal and financing for the production directly with his Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine, who is now head of Apple Music.

The formal distribution plan for the series is still unclear. Apple is known to have been pursuing deals for high-end original content and has quietly been meeting with experienced TV programming execs with the goal of assembling a development and production team. Apple is also known to be considering a bid for the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” streaming rights that are about to auctioned off by the league.

Dr. Dre’s autobiographical series follows on the heels of last summer’s release of “Straight Outta Compton,” the F. Gary Gray-directed biopic that chronicled the rise of his seminal 1980s rap group N.W.A. Dr. Dre served as a producer on the Universal release.